Thursday, March 25, 2010

Preppy Nicknames or The Random Things I Stress About

I am a worrier. I tend to think through and worry about all the little details in life... sometimes there are mundane silly details that aren't even worth my time, and yet I worry about them.

What's the latest detail that's eating away at my worrisome little heart? My nickname... that's right my nickname. You see I'll be starting medical school this fall, and with that comes a whole new group of friends and a whole new type camaraderie.

Growing up in middle school and high school I had a Danniele and a Daniele in my class, and I am of course a Danielle (which by the way is the correct way to spell the name, none of this extra N one L business thank you). There were also several Daniel's. So to keep things from getting confusing we all had nicknames that we went by, Danniele was "G" (the first initial of her last name), Daniele was Dani, and I was Johnson (my last name). All of the Daniel's also had nicknames but I don't remember theirs.

Anyway, although Johnson isn't the greatest nickname it certainly wasn't the worst. However, my family always called me Dani, and so when I went away for summer camp, and swim camp, and mission trips I would often introduce myself as Dani. But I never dared to correct a teacher, you know during the first day of class when they ask you if there is something else you like to be called, I never had the courage to speak up and say Dani, and really I actually liked my full name. So it never seemed worth the trouble to correct a teacher.

When I went to college, several of my friends and swim team mates called me Dani, my family still calls me Dani, and The Preppy Boyfriend's sister calls me Dani (but she spells it Danny - which drives me crazy!). Anyway, it doesn't phase me one bit that my family calls me Dani, but I'm just not sure I want anyone else to adopt that nickname. I mean for heaven's sake, I'm not a perky little teenager anymore, I'm a grown adult.

Here in Austin, one of my friends from my gym gave me the nickname Ellie, which is where my signature from this blog -Elle, came from. And I've grown rather fond of Elle. So, this brings me to my dilemma, when the big move for medical school happens am I allowed to give myself my own future nickname. Meaning rather than having someone adopt the nickname Johnson, or Dani for me, am I allowed to introduce myself by a nickname I would rather be called? I mean you can't get much shorter than Elle. It's quick, it's easy to say and easy to spell. And I think it's rather pretty, it brings to mind Elle Woods in her charming pink suit (although I would of course be sans Chihuahua, I need a big dog in my life)!

I know that some people spend their whole lives going by a nickname. Working on wall street with the Ivy League set I met my fair share of Tripp's, and Jr.'s, and Chip's, and Muffy's and so on... And in college I had an associate whose first name was Matthew, but he always liked his middle name better, so from the first day of class he started going by Austin, and he goes by Austin to this day. I'm just wondering, is it lame to carry a nickname from one phase of life into another?

Also, I created a Facebook page for our class of medical school, and over 1/3 of our class are already members and having active discussions. So many of them know me by my full name which is what is on Facebook. Does that mean if I want to go by Elle, that I should correct them when we get to school? You see now how this is a worry-some problem right? Do you have any nicknames you like or dislike?

9 comments:

I never had a nickname unless you consider Jen as my nickname (my full name is Jennifer). But girl, you decided what you want to be called! If you want to be called Elle or D or Johnson, you pick. And don't feel bad for correcting people if they call you by the wrong nickname. They won't know what the correct name is until you tell 'em :-)

So I've been there! What I do abt the fb thing is when I leave a comment that friends from college on (who know me as KK) will see, I sign it -KK so they know that's what I prefer. People get the hint.

haha I am a worrier too! People will adopt whatever name you introduce yourself as and even though they may know you on facebook as Danielle it is easy to see where Dani or Elle come from! They are both cute and Elle def reminds me of Legally Blonde! Its the perfect med school nickname. I never had too many nicknames but my sister had different groups of friends that called her different things. Her name is Christine and some people call her Chris, Cristy, etc.

I think you should use what you feel most comfortable in this and hopefully future seasons of your life. Some people seem to fit with their nicknames their entire life but others "mature" away from them. I love Elle....

I had one nickname in high school - basically taking the first three letters of my name and adding "y". Then in college, I was called by the first three letters of my name.

Some people introduce me with the nickname... Some introduce me with my full name.

So I guess you should ask people - like your husband - to introduce you as Elle. And definitely introduce yourself as Elle if that's what you want to be called. I like my nickname, but for some reason I always introduce myself with my full name... And that's what people call me going forward.

Even with the people whom you know from Facebook, you can introduce yourself as Elle. (I always think it's safer to re-introduce myself to someone who may already know me, just in case they can't place my face or forgot my name.)